Today's post title is the English translation of Abé Sumaya, a song by Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba from the 2015 album Ba Power. Bassekou Kouyate is a musician from Mali, his band named after his instrument of choice, the ngoni, the country's traditional string instrument. It's a familiar sound, particular with the rising global popularity of Malian music in the past 30-odd years, but I think Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba's music was the first time I'd heard the instrument played with wah wah effects.
I first encountered Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba via the 2006 compilation Global A Go-Go: Celebrating 20 Years Of World Music, a cover-mounted CD with Uncut magazine. Since then, I've sporadically heard their music on TV (Later...With Jools Holland in 2007) and online (the full KEXP session from 2015) but I've not yet got around to buying a full album.
Abé Sumaya is one of four songs performed for the 2015 KEXP session, featuring Kouyate's wife Amy Sacko on vocals, a successful solo artist in her own right, though you wouldn't know this from her Discogs page.
The original studio version - and full Ba Power album - is available to buy on Bandcamp (other outlets are available). Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba will be returning to the UK for five performances in June 2023.
